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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. GHALMERS, Jr. TORPBDO MECHANISM.

No. 580,304. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

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(No Modei.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. GHALMERS, Jr. TORPBDO MECHANISM No; 580,304. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

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J. GHALMERS, J1" TORPEDO MECHANISM No. 580,304. Patented Apr. 63,1897.

FIGS.

QZEZ TMM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES CHALMERS, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONSIVITCII AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SW'ISSVALE, PENN- SYLVA NI A TORPEDOMECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 580,304, dated April 6,1897. Application filed January '7, 1897. Serial No. 618,275. N0 mo el.)

To [tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES CHALMERS, J12, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Torpedo Mechanism, of which improvements the followingis a specification.

The invention described. herein relates to certain improvements inmechanism for bringing torpedoes singly from a magazine into suchposition that they will be exploded by the wheels of a train.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction andcombination substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the position of the torpedomechanism corresponding to clear position of a signal. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing torpedo mechanism in position corresponding todanger position. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, the plane of sectionbeing indicated by the line III III, Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a sectional view,the section being made in a plane passing through the axes of themagazine and anvil, the several parts being in the position shown inFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar View, the parts being in the position shownin Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the under side of the cap-plate.

The base 1 is preferably formed with jaws 2, adapted to fit in oppositesides of the railflange, and is held in position by bolts 3, passingunder the rail and through blocks 4, provided with jaws to engage theopposite flange of the rail. This construction insures the retention ofthe mechanism in proper relation to the rail.

The upper face of the base is cut away or recessed to form a seat forthe movable cap 5. This cap and its recess are preferably constructed sothat the former will move in the arc of a circle on apin 6, passingthrough the cap and base and serving to hold said parts together at onecorner. The cap is provided along one edge with a lip 7 adapted to entera groove in the wall of the recess in the base. A cavity or opening isformed in the base near one edge, of cross-sectional size and shape,adapted to receive railroad-torpedoes. A follower 8, preferably in theform of an inverted cup, is placed in this opening and is forced upwardby a spring 9, bearing against the follower, andacap-nut- 10, closingthe lower end of the opening. Torpedoes are forced into this magazinethrough an opening in the cap, which is in line with the magazine whenthe cap is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The feed-opening inthe cap is closed by threaded plug 11, of such a length that its lowerend will be flush with the under side of the cap.

IVhen the torpedo mechanism is in safety position, as shown in Figs. 1and a, a torpedo will be forced by the spring 9 into the closed end of agroove 12, formed in the under side of the cap, and as the cap is movedto danger position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the torpedo will beshifted by the end wall of the groove 12 onto the anvil 13. A plunger 14is arranged in an opening through the cap at the end of the groove 12,so that the plunger will be immediately above the torpedo and anvil whenthe cap is in danger position. This plunger is normally held in raisedposition by a spring 15, and is forced down to explode a torpedo by anarm 16, pivoted at one end on the pin 6 and resting on the upper end ofthe plunger. The arm is made of such a length that when the cap is indanger position the inner end of the arm will be closely adjacent therail, and its upper side slightly above the surface of the rail, so thatthe plunger will be forced down by the treads of wheels moving along therail. I

As many wheels become grooved or worn awayadjacent to their flan ges,andtheir treads would therefore force the arm and plunger down farther thanan unworn wheel, the anvil is formed by a plugpassing through an openingin the base and supported with its upper end flush with the surface ofthe base by a spring 17. The plug is provided at its lower end with athreaded stem, on which is screwed a nut 18, adapted to prevent toogreat upward movement of the plug. The arm 16 is prevented from beingthrown out of position by a bar 19, secured to the upper ends of theside guides 20.

The cap is shifted from charging to exploding position, and vice versa,by any suitable means, as, for example, by signal'operating mechanismwhich is connected by a bar 21 to an arm 22, formed on the cap.

hen the cap is swung around to safety position, a torpedo is forced upinto the groove 12 immediately under the plunger, and when the cap isshifted to danger position the torpedo will be carried into the anviland there exploded by the wheels of the car operating through the arm16-and plunger 14. hen the cap is again turned to safety position, theshell of the exploded torpedo will remain in the anvil and will bepushed out of the groove by the torpedo, which will be brought intoposition by the next movement of the cap to danger position.

In order to prevent the follower 8 being forced above the surface of thebase 1, the upward movement of the follower is limited by apin 23,passing through the wall of the magazine and projecting into a slot inthe wall of the follower.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the arm or treadle is somounted on and guided by projections on the cap that it will be moved bythe latter outside of the plane of movement of wheels on the rail.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a torpedo mechanism for railways,the

combination of a chamber or magazine adapted to hold a number oftorpedoes, an anvil, a plunger movable to and from a position adjacentto the rails and adapted to be operated by the wheels of a car, and amovable carrier for shifting the torpedoes from the magazine intoposition between the anvil and plunger, substantially as set forth.

2. Inatorpedo mechanism for railways, the combination of a base providedwith a chamber or magazine, a cap movably mounted on the base andadapted to shift torpedoes from the magazine to exploding position, aplunger carried by the cap and means operative by the wheels of a carfor forcing the plunger against the torpedo, substantially as set forth.

3. In a torpedo mechanism for railways, the combination of a baseprovided with a torpedo magazine or chamber, a cap movably mounted onthe base and provided on its under side with a groove or recess for thereception of a torpedo, a plunger arranged in an opening through the capand an arm pivotally mounted on the cap and adapted to force the plungeragainst the torpedo when depressed by the wheels of a car, substantiallyas set forth.

4. In atorpedo mechanism for railways, the combination of an anvil, aplunger and a treadle-arm for operating the plunger, said parts being somounted as to be capable of being shifted to bring the arm or treadleinto and out of the plane of movement of wheels on the rail,substantially as set forth.

5. In a torpedo mechanism for railways, the combination of a baseprovided with a torpedo magazine or chamber, a spring-actuated followerfor forcing the torpedoes from the magazine, a cap pivotally mounted onthe base and provided with a torpedo-receiving groove, having an openend, a plunger arranged in an opening in the cap in line with thereceiving portion of the groove and a pivoted arm or treadle resting onthe plunger, substantially as set forth.

6. In a torpedo mechanism for-railways, the combination of a baseprovided with a torpedo magazine or chamber,a spring-supported anvilmounted in the base, a pivotally-mounted cap, a plunger arranged in anopening through the cap, means for shif tin g a torpedo from themagazine to position between the plunger and anvil, and means operatedby the wheels of a car for forcing the plunger against the torpedo,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES CHALMERS, J R.

lVitnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLoo'rT, F. E. GAITHER.

